How to Select a Wedding Photographer

Your wedding will be one of the most important and memorable day of your life as a couple. Naturally, you would like nothing but the best photos to remind you of this beautiful day. You can make this happen by choosing the right professional photographer. Here are three tips to help you on your selection.

Hire someone who shoots in the style you want

There are three major types of wedding photography: traditional, photojournalistic, and fashion or contemporary. Traditional wedding photography uses time-honored conventions, with the couple photographed in particular poses either by themselves or with their entourage and guests; a photojournalistic approach takes un-orchestrated shots, presenting the event in a candid, natural manner and often with the subject unaware that they are being photographed; while in the fashion or contemporary style of wedding photography, the couple takes very stylized poses in a beautiful setting, resulting in glamorous pictures similar to those in magazine spreads.

When hiring a wedding photographer, it’s a good idea to prepare a list of wedding photographers in Singapore and check samples of their works to see whether their photography style is close to the one you want for your wedding photos. Once you’ve chosen a photographer, you can still continue to discuss how the photos should look like in case you or your wedding photographer has come up with some kind of special effect or approach that would make your wedding photos more unique.

Check your photographer’s affiliation and works

Most professional photographers today have a website where they showcase their works and information about themselves. Check it out to get a good idea of a particular photographer’s style, versatility, and length of experience. You may also speak with previous clients of his to know about his personality and how he goes about his work. If you are not confident about this work, then cross him out on your list.

Another consideration when hiring a wedding photographer is his reliability and degree of professionalism, which you can judge based on his affiliations (apart from the client testimonials). A membership to a professional association has a high likelihood that you are getting an experienced photographer, and that you will get a professional alternative should your first choice be unavailable. Remember, though your wedding photographer’s talent is very important, his personality and reliability are also important factors in ensuring that you enjoy having your wedding photos taken.

Settle your photographer’s fee and other costs

Most wedding photographers offer bridal portraits packages and wedding day packages, which are normally priced differently. Other factors in the cost of your wedding photography is whether you will be hiring associate photographers to assist your principal photographer, and your photographers(s) overtime fee and travel expenses (only if applicable).

A caveat though on your selection: while the more expensive packages usually provide you with more options, paying more does not necessarily guarantee to improve the quality of your photos. So while the price requested by a photographer will clue you in on the quality of his services, the best way to make sure that you get the most out of your money is to judge his work independent of his price. Only after you have properly evaluated his credential should you negotiate about the cost of his services.